I'm not a huge fan of fruit leathers, but this turned out super good! And, really, you can't go wrong with blackberries, mint and rum.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Better Off Book Club

I know I keep yammering on about the book, Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology, by Eric Brende but I really can't help myself. I truly enjoyed this book and it's one of those that makes you want to start reading it all over again right after you've finished it. And, let me tell you, that rarely happens with me. I have a shitton of books piled up waiting to be read so I generally don't have the time or desire to re-read something.

But, this one is different. It makes me want to share it with people who are of like mind. I'm not talking about people I know in my 'real life' because they'll think I'm a kook. No, I'm talking about you, the readers of this blog. My kooky friends. Because I know the content is up your alley and it hits all the right nerves regarding self-sufficiency, local resilience and community - basically all the things many of us are striving for. In other words, trying to find meaning in a crazy technological and product driven world.

So, I want to propose to you guys a new book club and gauge your interest. Since I've already read the book, doing the posts for me will be a breeze, so I'm prepared to get this going and wrap it up during the month of April. It's a quick read, been out long enough for your local library to have copies of it and, if you don't want to buy a physical copy of it, you can read it on your Mac or PC in the Kindle format.

What the heck is the book about, you ask?It's about a couple who decides to move to an Amish-like community and live technology-free for 18 months. The community is kind of a cross between the Amish and Mennonites. The author calls them Minimites because they really are much more strict than modern day Amish, using as little technology as possible. The author lives in a house with no running water, electricity (so no fridge) and relies on a wood stove, oil lamps and grows all their own food. They also grow sorghum for making molasses they can sell as well as pumpkins for sale to earn a little money for buying necessities.

Along the way, the wife gets pregnant and delivers their baby using a local midwife (who doesn't own a phone), they sell their car in exchange for a horse and buggy and, generally, they end up living the lifestyle while gaining a greater appreciation for living modestly. I won't completely spill all the beans, but that's the gist of it. What's interesting is how they chose to live after the 18 months are over.

If you are interested in joining the Better Off Book Club, let me know!

41 comments:

The Amish and Mennonite churches still share the same beliefs concerning baptism, non-resistance, and basic Bible doctrines. They differ in matters of dress, technology, language, form of worship, and interpretation of the Bible.

After seeing this on your blog a few days ago, I immediately requested it from the library and read it in less than 2 days! I only wish they had a blog!! I want to keep up with them now. Great story, well written. I wish I could get my husband to just read it because I keep rambling on about it and he doesn't get it. ;) A book club would be a great place to vent my enthusiasm amoungst people that "get it".

I bought a used copy from Amazon ($5 incl s&h) which my GF is reading first. I also learned a new word, when Deanna was describing how many books she had piled up waiting to be read. I guess one is never too old to learn ;-0

I went directly from your blog post to amazon and had it on my kindle within 5 minutes. I am 3 chapters in, and am officially to take my own Going Amish challenge. It was something I have thought about doing for a while, and this was the shove I needed. Starting at midnight tonight I am "going Amish" which for me, means unplugging from technology, TV, internet, and Iphone games, for a week, and I am dragging my 3 kids kicking and screaming along with me. I hope it doesn't kill us!

Um, I may be out of control: I finished the book two days ago, and spent the last two days researching the non-electric washing machine. AND I JUST BOUGHT ONE! I'm really excited about it. And kind of freaked out. Thanks for the amazing book rec!

Definitely want to be in on this book group. Looking forward to starting the book tonight.

Also, the Amish and Mennonites are distinctly different, although they share a common background (we lived in a rural area for a few years and attended a Mennonite church, although we aren't Mennonites. There are large differences when it comes to embracing technology and modern culture.

I just finished this book. I liked the overall thesis, but found the details to be frustratingly sexist throughout.

Also, to Serenity who said "Of course the wife got pregnant, what else did they have to do?" -- my dad made a similar comment when he found out we'd conceived within about a month of our wedding. He asked, "Couldn't you guys have just gotten a television?" :)